Microsoft built in suburban Virginia, USANew Data CenterIt claims to be mainly built with wood materials, including cross-laminated fire-resistant wood materials, to replace traditional reinforced concrete building materials. It claims to reduce carbon emissions by 35% compared to traditional steel structure buildings and up to 65% compared to traditional ready-mixed concrete.
This is Microsoft's goal to achieve by 2030Zero carbon emission targetIt is one of the goals of the company and plans to achieve zero carbon emissions for all office facilities, operations and products by 2050.
Microsoft also highlighted its collaboration with green building materials companies like Sweden's Stegra on hydrogen-based steel technology, aiming to reduce building carbon emissions by up to 95% through specialized steel. To reduce its reliance on concrete (i.e., cement), Microsoft is collaborating with carbon-solidification technology company Prometheus Materials to create zero-carbon concrete using microalgae. This material is also being used in its new data center being built in suburban Virginia to evaluate its durability.
The new data center is primarily constructed with wood, replacing the original concrete floor and ceiling sections. A thin layer of concrete is applied to the wood surface for protection, preventing it from moisture and deformation while extending its service life.
Although the cost of using this wood material is relatively high, the construction process can further reduce the proportion of steel and concrete used, thereby achieving a balance in overall material and labor costs, while also reducing the carbon emissions that may be generated during the construction process.
